Plaid Cymru joins day of action to support the 139,000 Welsh women who had pension payments delayed

Plaid Cymru joins day of action to support the 139,000 Welsh women who had pension payments delayed

Posted
on May 26 2017, 5:52 PM

On WASPI National Local Day of Action, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has pledged her party’s support to the campaign and has criticised the Conservatives for delaying thousands of pounds in state pension payments from 139,000 Welsh women.

Leanne Wood said that these women had had the retirement they had planned taken from them.

She said that Plaid Cymru would fight to right the injustice done to all women born in the 1950s affected by the changes to the State Pension Law.

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said:

“When it changed the state pension age without warning, the cruel Conservative party effectively stole from women the retirements that they had planned.

“Across Wales, 139,000 women had their state pension age delayed – in some cases twice, and by up to six years in total - without proper notice, leaving them no time to prepare adequately for their later retirement date.

“These women deserve the pension they saved and planned for, and Plaid Cymru will fight for justice for them.

“Plaid Cymru supports the principle of equalising the pension age. But Plaid Cymru will not support any increase in the state pension retirement age until we are certain that the system delivers for older people from every background.

“The women behind the WASPI campaign deserve commendation for their hard work in fighting for justice for them and their counterparts. Plaid Cymru will continue to pressurise the government into righting this wrong, and reversing its cruel policy.”

Branwen Cennard, Plaid Cymru’s candidate for the Rhondda in the General Election, said: “Thousands of women in Wales have been affected by these unfair changes to pension arrangements brought in by the Tories.

“These women saved for their retirement in good faith and that good faith has not been repaid by the Westminster Government who have pulled the rug from underneath their feet with disastrous consequences.

“Many women face a retirement of poverty instead of the relaxing retirement they planned for. Some even face losing their homes. That is wrong.

“Plaid Cymru has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the WASPI campaign for some time now. We are not asking for charity but a bit of ‘fair play.’ It is time the Westminster did what is right.”

If you agree with Plaid Cymru why not help us in the election campaign? Click here for more details. Thanks.

Campaigns

About Leanne

As I look around the Rhondda, I am reminded that if we keep doing the same thing we will get the same results. As the AM for the Rhondda, I am committed to policies that will provide solutions to our problems. There is no problem that cannot be solved. My vision for the Rhondda includes a plan to create jobs, to support and improve public services and to make the Rhondda and Wales a better place for all of us to live.